Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Welcome Back!

I hope you enjoyed your time off, because now we are going to hit the ground running!

Classwork:

*new vocabulary words
*notes on editorials
*read "Why Don't We Complain?"
*examine diction, organization, syntax and Toulmin model
*discuss rhetorical devices

Homework:

1. Search the Washington Post, Gazette, NY Times, or any other magazine/newspaper for an editorial that is interesting to you. Keep in mind that editorials are short in length. Either PRINT the editorial (preferably) or write the FULL LINK at the top of your paper. After reading the editorial, respond to the following:

  • 1. Where did you find this article? What date was it written, and who wrote it?
  • 2. What overall type of editorial is it? (Explain/Interpret, Criticize, Persuade, or Praise)
  • 3. Write out the thesis statement and then rewrite the thesis statement in your own words.
  • 4. What are the main arguments?
  • 5. To whom is the author writing – who specifically is their intended audience?
  • 6. Do you agree with the author? Why or why not?

You will be sharing these editorials with the class. In addition to writing the link on your paper, or printing the editorial, please place the link in the discussion section above. If you take the editorial out of the physical newspaper, no need to try to find the link.

2. Read the rhetorical analysis of "Why Don't We Complain?". Then, in the discussion area, share your ideas about the analysis. What score would YOU give the paper? What would you change? What insight did the writer of the essay provide that you didn't consider? Finally, respond to two classmates!


3. Also, begin brainstorming what you would write about if you wrote an editorial. Of course, this assignment is coming!